Cup dispenser



June 29, 1937.

H. SEBELL CUP DISPENSER Filed March 16, 1935 2 Sheets--Sheefl l lnvenor Harry SebeH byfgMMJP/Qm ATTys.

.uxie 29, 1937. H. sEBELL CUP DISPENSER /F'iled AMarch le, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m-gr E: I l 9 34 I7 20 l I ,27

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Harry Sebell lrwenTor.

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Patented June 29, 1937 UNITED TET OFFICE CUP DISPENSER Application March 16, 1935, Serial No. 11,450

3 Claims.

This invention relates to cup dispensers designed to dispense or deliver individuall cups from a stack of cups, and it has for its general object to provide an improved cup dispenser which is certain and effective in operation and which is of sturdy construction.

Other objects of the invention are to provide various improvements in cupi dispensers which will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated a selected embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a partial sectional View of a cup dispenser showing my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing a cup being ejected from the container.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 showing the cup ejector in the position it assumes during its retracting movement.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 9 6 Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the cup ejector in its operative position.

" Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a type of cup which is well adapted for use with my cup dispenser.

While my improved cup dispenser may be used I for dispensing cups of diiierent construction, yet

3o it is especially useful in dispensing a cup such as shown in Fig. 9. This cup, which is indicated at I, is a folded paper cup that is folded from a blank in such a way as to present the side seam 2 and the bottom flap or fold 3 which closes the bottom of the cup, and which is folded over against the side of the cup and adhesively united thereto. This bottom ap 3 presents a shoulder 4 with which the cup ejector of my improved cup dispenser co-operates to deliver the cups singly.

The cup dispenser herein shown comprises a casing or container 5 adapted to hold a stack 6 of folded cups I such as shown in Fig. 9, said container having the inclined bottom 'I on which the cups rest and being provided on its front side '45 with a cup dispensing slit 8 through which the bottom cup of the stack is ejected as usual in cup dispensers of this type. The cups are arranged in the stack so that the flap 3 of each cup is on the under side thereof and adjacent the front of the container 5.

The bottom cup I of the stack is ejected through the delivery slit 8 by means of a cup ejector 9 which is situated below the container bottom I and is provided at its forward end with a raised l cup-engaging portion I0 that operates through a (Cl. S12-55) slot II with which the bottom I of the container is provided.

The cup ejector 9 is movable toward and from the cup delivery slit 8 and is mounted so that the cup-engaging portion I0 thereof may be raised and lowered. In the normal retracted position of the cup ejector 9 the cup-engaging portion thereof occupies the rear portion of the slot II and is situated substantially flush with the bottom 'I as shown in Fig. 1.

Means are provided for giving the cup ejector a forward cup-ejecting movement during which it is raised into the dotted line position Fig. 1 and into the full line position Fig. 8, and thereby pressed firmly against the bottom cup I of the stack. As the cup ejector moves forwardly the edge I2 thereof engages the shoulder 4 of the bottom cup and carries said cup forwardly and partially through the delivery slit 8 as shown in Fig. 2. The partially delivered cup can then be grasped by the operator and withdrawn from the casing and the cup ejector is then returned to its normal position. As it begins its return movement it is lowered into a position flush with the bottom I of the container, which position it retains during the entire retracting movement.

The cup ejector is given its forward cupejecting movement and its return movement through the medium of a slide I3 which is situated beneath the bottom I and is guided in suitable ways Iii formed in the guiding members I5, I6 that are secured underneath and to the bottorn I of the container. This slide has a pull member I'I secured thereto by which it may be drawn forwardly and it is acted upon by suitable return springs I8, I9 which return it to its rearward position. The pull member I'I is formed with the head portion 20 and with the rearward extension 2I. The slide I3 is provided on one side at its forward end with a depending boss 22 to which the head portion 20 of the pull member I'I is secured through the medium of a screw 23 (see Fig. 6). Said slide is also provided at its rear end on the opposite side with a depending rib 24 having a horizontal flange 25 to which the rear end of the rear extension 2| of the pull member is secured by suitable screws 26. The return springs I8, I9 are secured at their forward ends to the opposite sides of the head portion 2D and at their rear ends said f springs are secured to the guiding members I5, I6 as shown at 2'I.

The cup ejector 9 is shown as pivotally mounted on the slide I3, and for this purpose the slide is provided with two depending bosses 28 and the cup ejector is provided with a boss 29 which is received between the bosses 28 and is pivotally secured thereto through the medium of a pivot pin 33 extending through the alined bosses 28, 29. The cup ejector is provided with a tail portio-n 3i extending some distance to the rear of its pivotal mounting, and means are provided which co-operate with this tail portion to cause the necessary vertical movement of the cupengaging portion E3 of the cup ejector. For this purpose I have provided herein a switch cam begins its forward cup-ejecting movement the tail portion 3l of the cup ejector will be depressed, thereby raising the cup ejector portion into the dotted line position Fig. 1 so that as the cup ejector continues its forward movement the edge E2 thereof will engage the shoulder 4 of the bottom cup and move it forwardly partially through the cup delivery slit 8, said switch cam being further so constructed that as the cup ejector begins its return or backward movement the tail portion 3l will be elevated thereby lowering thefcup-ejecting portion into a position flush with the bottom 'l of the container. The switch cam which accomplishes this is indicated at 32 and it operates in an opening 33 formed in a flange portion 34 which is integral with and depends from the guiding member i3. This switch cam 32 is shown as being integral with a plate 35 which is situated at the side of the flange 33 and is pivoted thereto at 36. The plate 35 is acted'upon by a spring 31 which is anchored at one end to the pivotal bolt 36 and at its other end -acts against a pin 38 carried by the plate 35. This spring normally tends to hold the plate in raised position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 lout-permitsV adownward swinging movement of the plate. The periphery of the switch cam 32 forms with the walls of the opening 33 a cam track in which operates a stud 39 extending laterally from the tail end 3l of the cup ejector.

When the cup ejector is in its rearmost position shown in Fig. 1 the follower 39 will be at the'upper rear corner of the opening 33 in the rear of the switch cam 32 which is then in its raised position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As the pull' member is drawn forwardly the follower 39 engages the inclined face 40 of the switch cam and moves from the full line position shown in Fig. 1 to the dotted line position Figs. 1 and 2. During this movement the tail end 3l of the cup ejector is moved downwardly and the cupengaging portion is moved upwardly against the stack of cups as shown in dotted lines Fig. l and full lines Fig. 8. This upward movement of the cup-engaging portion i3 causes it to press against cups and lift the bottom cup slightly. As the pull member and slide continue their forward movement the follower 39 travels in the cam track formed by the under face 4! of the switch cam and the lower edge i3 of the opening 33. The tail portion of the cup ejector is thus held in its lowered position as it moves forwardly and the cup-engaging portion Ill is thus maintained in kits elevated position. During the forward movement of the cup ejector the edge l2 will engage the shoulder i of the bottom cup l of the stack and will carry said cup forwardly, thereby partially ejecting it through the slit 8 as shown in Fig. 2. When the slide has been moved forward sufficiently to cause the follower 39 to pass out from under the switch cam 32 as shown in full lines Fig. 2, then the tail portion of the cup ejector will be automatically raised by the action of a spring to carry the follower 39 into the dotted line position Fig. 2, thereby lowering the cup-engaging portion IU into a position flush with the bottom lV of the container and as the slide has its retracting movement the follower 39 will move backwardly above the switch cam 32, the latter swinging downwardly about its pivot 35 to permit the follower` to pass. For thus raising the tail portion of the cup ejector I have provided a spring 43 which encircles a Vpin lil that is rigid with the slide I3 and extends construction arranged so that as the cup ejector through an opening 45 in the tail portion 3l of the cup ejector. The spring 43 is confined between a washer d3 that engages the tail portion 3| and a head or nut 31 with which the stud 43 is provided. This spring thus normally tends to hold the cup ejector in the position shown in Figs. 1 andv 3.

As the cup ejector starts its forward movement and the tail portion 3l is swung downwardly by engagement of the follower 39 Vwith the cam face lill, the` spring 43 will be compressed. As: soon as the cup ejector reaches the position'shown-'i-ri Fig. 2 in which the follower 39 has been moved out from under the switch cam then the spring d3 raises the tail portion 3l of the cup ejector and carries the follower 39 into a position so that on a return movement it will pass over the upper face of a switch cam 32. When the slide and cup ejector have been moved back into their rearmost position and the follower 39 will .havepassedoif of the switch cam which is then held in its raised position by the spring arm 31 so that on. thenext forward movement ofthe cup ejector'thek follower will engage the face 40 of the switch cam and be carried underneath the latter; i

1. A cup dispenser comprising a container-forholding a stack of cups, said container having an openingA in its bottom and a discharge slit *between its bottom and its front wall, a slidebelation from the bottom and adaptedto cooperate with the rear end of the cup ejector to hold the cup-engaging portion thereof raised through said opening when the slide is moved forwardly, and

to hold said cup-engaging portion in a lowered position when the slide is moved rearwardly and spring means supported by said slide Yfor raisingv the rear end of the cup ejector when it reaches the forward end of the stroke thereby to shift the cup-engaging portion to lowered position.

holding a stack of cups, said container having an opening in its bottom and a discharge slit, a manually-operable reciprocating slide beneath the container, a slide-supporting guide situated cup ejector pivoted intermediate of its ends to the slide and. having a cup-engaging portion at its front end, said guide being provided with a depending flange having an opening therein, `a pivoted switch cam received within said opening, a follower on the end of the cup ejector cooperating with said cam and the wall of said opening to swing the cup ejector in a direction to raise 6.0. 2. A cup dispenser comprising a container for ..65 beneath the container and supported thereby, .a

Ythe cup-engaging portion through an'opening. in 7,5

the bottom of the container and in the position to engage the bottom cup of the stack during the initial forward movement of the slide and to hold the cup ejector in such position until the slide completes its forward movement, and a spring acting on the cup ejector and operating at the end of the forward movement of the slide to turn the cup ejector about its pivot thereby to lower the cup-engaging portion thereof into said opening, said switch cam operating to hold the cup-engaging portion in such lowered position during the return movement of the slide.

3. A cup dispenser comprising a container for holding a stack of cups, said container having an opening in its bottom and a discharge slit, a manually-operable reciprocating slide beneath the bottom of the container, a slide-supporting guide situated beneath the container and supported thereby, a cup ejector pivoted intermediate of its ends to the slide and having a cupengaging portion at its front end, a switch cam cooperating with the rear end of the cup ejector to turn the latter about its pivot and raise the cup-engaging portion through said opening into engagement with the bottom cup of the stack as the slide starts its forward movement and to maintain said cup-engaging portion in its raised position during the forward movement, and a spring carried by the slide and acting against the rear end of the cup ejector to return the cup ejector to normal position with the cup-engaging portion lowered into said opening when the slide completes its forward movement, said switch cam holding the cup-engaging portion in its lowered position during the entire return movement.

HARRY SEBELL. 

